Start a New Semester With These Digital Tools!

With the advent of a new semester, students are apt to be, how shall we say, a bit squirmy.  Trying to harness their attention, no matter what the grade, can be a challenge. 

What better way to start the new year off right with the right tech tools!  The right tools will help keep your students engaged on their first day back from their winter break!
Check out a few tools and how you might use them during the first few days back from a break:

Kahoot:  Kahoot is great to review content!  Perhaps a Kahoot that reviewed the previous semester's information so as to build upon what the student is going to learn this semester.  Or, use Kahoot to find out what students know about upcoming topics by putting together a Kahoot.

Padlet: Invite inquiry with Padlet! Tell the students what they'll be studying this semester and ask them what questions they might have about the topic.  Use Padlet to have students share what they already know about the topic.

Voicethread:  Create a Voicethread using it in much the same fashion as you would a Padlet or Kahoot.  Sometimes, it's just easier for students to speak what's on their minds rather than type it out.  And often, you'll get more out your students if you ask them to record their voice addressing the topic rather than write it.  Ask students what they already know about a topic or ask them what they hope to learn this semester.  Instead of writing a response, students orally share their response.

Nearpod: Find out what your students already know about upcoming topics, what they want to know, or review content from the previous semester.  Nearpod is sure to keep your students engaged through its drawing activities, open-ended questions, and multiple choice questions.  Nearpod also provides its own Nearpod store, where you can browse through a multitude of already made lessons.

EdPuzzle: Create a video of yourself in which you review content from the previous semester, inserting questions for your students to answer as you go.  Then, have students watch the video and answer the questions.  Or, create curiosity by showing a video of upcoming topics, while creating questions asking what topics they're most curious about.

Flipgrid:  If you have the same students this semester as last, ask them to create a Flipgrid where they reflect on their learnings from last semester.  Then, once they've done that, ask them to comment on each other's reflections.  If it's a brand new class, ask them to record their wondering or what they hope to learn this semester.